Pan-advance adjusting mechanism for oven feeding machines



May 3-3, 1950 R. L. BROSEMER PAN ADVANCE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR OVENFEEDING MACHINES 4' Shegts-Sheet 1 Filed April 26. 1948 IN V EN TOR.

R I, .Brosemer May 30, 1950 1. BROSEMER 2,509,475

R. PAN ADVANCE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR OVEN FEEDING MACHINES Filed April26, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. 5% R .L. Brosem e2" HTTYS May 30,1950 R. L. BROSEMER PAN ADVANCE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR OVEN FEEDINGMACHINES Filed April 26, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

13.1: Bras-em er 4 TTYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L. BROSEMER PAN ADVANCEADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR OVEN FEEDING MACHINES May 30, 1950 Filed April26, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

R. ,L..Bro5emer BY fir'rrs Patented May 30, 1950 "UNITED STATES OFFICE-ADVANGE ADJUS TING MECHANISM FOR OVEN FEEDING *rMAGHINES Robert L.Brosemer, Sacramento, Calif.

.Applicationiknrifzb, 1948, -Se1ial N0. :23,I93

9 Claims. 1

.This :invention ihas ior an object certain improvements in the" oven-reeding' machine as shown and described in copendingapplication for-UnitedStates Letters Patent, Serial No. -7 15;383, -fi1ed December 11, 1946,now Patent No. 2,450,111, dated September28,-1948.

In such prior v application "the oven feedingmachineincluded-a1power-actuatedtpusher assembly adapted to advanceiloaded baking pans from a table in .front of the oven intmthedatter-inpredetermined order the rpusher assembly, however, having -.a fixedpoint of .advance. .It -.has been found that a variable (point .ofpan-advance is desirable.

'It is therefore an object of the ..present inven- "tion to provide theovenifeeding machine with a pan-advance adjusting mechanism of novelconstruction and operatiom'such mechanism'being "arranged so that theextent .of advance of loaded pans from the supporting table .and intothe oven canbe regulated, selectively, bythe operator, and as workingconditions .and the-size or the pans may. require.

Another object of theinvention'is to provide a pan-advance adjusting"mechanism, as above, which includes a rack and pinion devicecorresponding to each swing arm unitwhich the machine includes toi'actuate the pusher assembly; each device being operative to "shift thepivot point of the corresponding swing armun'it to- Ward or away "fromthe oven to "thus alter-the point o'fpan'a'dvance of-sai'd'pusherassen'ibly relative to said oven. H

further clrijet 6f the inventionds "to provide a practical pan advanceadjusting mechanism I for bven feeding machines, and o'ne "vvliichwillbeexceedingly elfec'tive for "the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by ineans of suchstru'cture'and relativearrangeinent o'fparts "as wili fuiiy appearbyrarperusal orthe foilowingspecification and ciaims.

Fig. 1 is Janene! elevation ofianfovenfeding 'nraciiine embodying thepresent invention; the adjusting fleverbeing "shown in full lines in-=position for T'maximum pan advance, and "in dotted .lines imposition$01 minimum pan advance.

"Fig 2 is a'transverSesectiOnaI elevation 01 the machine showing "thesame as "set for F 'mairimum A lpan 'a'dvanc'e.

Fig. 3 a similar view, but shows themachine assetiforiniiiimum panadvance.

Fig. =4 is an enlarge "rragmentary crcss sectidn oi' one oi therack ancpinionuvices,

Fig. 5 is an enlargedendview of one-of the rack "andpinion' devices.

Referring mow more zparticularly to the char 'acters of -reference onthe drawings, thewgeneral assembly of'the-oven feeding machine is-asshown in the aforesaidcopending-application, Serial No. 715;383,andcomprises an-iupstanding iZrame l of skeleton type adapted to seat onthe floorrdirectlyin front ofthe baking oven.

At thetOp-t'he frame I is fitted withea-horizontal pan receiving*orsupporting table 2 adapted to be :disposed indirect alinement withthe rdoor of the oven and through which door th pens are to be fed bythe machine.

The rpan receiving and-supporting table 1. com- -prises 'a multiplicityof longitudinally extending, transversely spa'ced bars 3 whereby :saidtable is oflon gitudinally slotted =configuration. The bars 3-are=supported, at their rear "ends, by an upstanding --plate 4, whilethe :rforward ends 101-58111 bars are supported by transversely spaccd,up standing flngersi.

#Ilhe pans -(not shown) are ted-=from atop the "table 2, *throughtheoven door into the oven, .by means of the following describedreciprocating lfeed mechanism or pusher'assembly --Beneath it thelongitudinally slotted table 12, the machine 7 includes, adjacent eachend thereof, -.a horizontal, dongitudinally extending gui-dema'il .6 oflaterally inwardly rfacing channel configuration, and :said guide tailsare connected by a cross bar 1 fitted, at the ends, withslideblocks 8which run :in corresponding ones ofthe channel shaped rails 6, wherebythe .cross bar I may be advanced, -and retracted, relative to the .oven.The guide'rails 6 aremounted, for vertical movement or reciprocation, by.guide units, indicated generallyat 9, and which are 'fixed inconnection with saidguide rails and work in cooperation with thecorner-postsof the frame ill.

The cross bar -1=is nonturnable and carriesia .pluralityof upwardly-andforwardly curved pusher fingers I l positioned to work through the slotsbetween the bars 3. W hen the guide rails :6 are in raisedposition,theipusher fingers I I. project above the table H] for working andadvancing engagement with-a.-pan, whereas when *said guide'rails Warelowered, the pusher. fingers The-1 assembly of -the guide rails --6,cross bar .I,

and the 'pusher "fingers l-l I, is recurringly raised up and down, i. e.vertically reciprocated by the following arrangement:

A horizontal :cross *shaft -12 :extends through,

and is supported by, the frame l some distance below the table 2; saidcross shaft being driven by any suitable means. Adjacent each endthereof the horizontal cross shaft l2 carries a rotary cam l3, and avertical plunger l4, having a roller on its lower end, cooperativelyengages said cam. The plunger 54 is carried in a guide sleeve [5 mountedin the frame I, and at its upper end the plunger I4 is attached to thecorresponding guide rail 6; there being spring means (not shown) withinthe guide sleeve I5 urgin the plunger downwardly whereby to normallytend to lower the corresponding guide rail 6.

The cams l3, of which there is one corresponding to each guide rail 6,are of matching configuration and are formed so that with eachrevolution of the horizontal cross shaft 52, said cams act to raise thepusher fingers I l maintain them in such raised position for a certaintime, and then permit them to retract under the action of thespring-urged plungers Hi.

The assembly of the slide blocks cross bar 'i, and the pusher fingers H,is reciprocated back and forth, i. e. advanced and retracted insuccessive and recurring order, by upstandin swing arm units, indicatedgenerally at It, corresponding to and adjacent the rotary cams l3. Eachswing arm unit 16 is mounted in the frame for swinging movement in alongitudinal vertical plane;' the axis of swinging movement of each suchunit being provided, at its lower end, by an adjustable pivotal mount,indicated generally at H, and. which is hereinafter described in greaterdetail.

Each swing arm unit It is telescopic and includesan upper section l8which is mounted for vertical sliding motion relative to the lowersection is. The upper section H! of each swin arm unit It is turnablyconnected, at its upper end, with the cross bar I, whereby upon to andfro swinging of the arm units l5 said cross bar I and the pusher fingersII are reciprocated in a path which includes a pan advancing strokeabove the table 2, and a retracting stroke below said table.

Such swinging of the swing arm units l6, which are alined transverselyof the machine, is accomplished by a crank 29, corresponding to eachsuch unit and mounted on the cross shaft l2. Each crank 20 includes acrank pin 2! carried in a slide block .22 running in a longitudinal slot23 in the corresponding swing arm unit I e Thus, as the cross shaft [2and cranks 2d rotate, the arm units l6 swing back and, forth in alongitudinal vertical plane to advance and retract the pusher fingers 23through the path or cycle above described. The cams l3 are disposedrelative to the cranks 20 so that at the beginning of each forward oradvance movement of the arm units IS, the guide rails ii are raised,-projecting the pusher fingers ll above the table it for pan engagementand advancement. The guide rails 6 remain raised until the arm units itreach the forward limit of their movement whereupon said rails aredropped by the cams so that the fingers ll move downward beiow the tablefor the retracting portion of each cycle.

When the pusher assembly, including the pusher fingers H, reaches theforward limit of its pan advancing stroke, said fingers project somewhatbeyond the front edge of the table 2.

In the prior embodiment of the invention the forward point of advance ofsaid fingers was fixed and no adjustment was possible. It has since beenfound desirable that the machine be adjust- 4 able to regulate or varythe forward point of advance of the pusher fingers H, whereby tocompensate for pans of different widths etc., and to the end that suchpans be advanced the proper distance into the oven through its door.

To accomplish this the present invention contemplates the employment ofthe pivotal mounts i Lby means of which the axis of swinging movement ofthe arm units [6 may be adjusted in a direction toward, or away from,the oven, whereby to vary the forward point of advance of the fingersII.

A horizontal cross shaft 24 is mounted in the frame I adjacent its lowerend, and adjacent each end said cross shaft serves as the pivotal axisfor the corresponding swing arm unit IS; the latter being journaled onthe shaft.

On opposite sides of each swing arm unit IS the cross shaft 24 is fittedwith a pinion 25 which rests on, and runs in mesh with, a correspondinghorizontal, longitudinally extending rack 26. Each rack 26 is rigidlysecured in the lower end portion of an upstanding, rectangular,cageframe 21 fixed in connection with the main frame.

Each of the pinions 25 is formed with a circumferential groove 28intermediate its ends, and a hold-down and stabilizing saddle plate 29,having a substantially semi-circular, downwardly opening cut-out 30therein, engages in such circumferential groove 28 from above. Eachsaddle plate 29 is rectangular at its upper portion and engages inlongitudinally slidable relation between a transversely spaced pair ofguide bars 3! in the cage-frame 27!, and is engaged from above by abearing strip 32 whose alinement is maintained by adjustment screwsthreaded through the top bar 34 of said cage-frame. The adjustmentscrews 33 include lock nuts 35.

With the above arrangement the saddle plates 29 are slidablelongitudinally, but are maintained against upward displacement, so as toassure that the pinions 25 mesh at all times with the correspondingracks 26 without undue vertical play.

At one end the cross shaft 24 is fitted with a radial adjusting lever 36which upstands beyond one end plate 37 of the machine; such levercooperating with a latching quadrant 38. The latching quadrant 33 isarranged so that the lever 36 may be set in selective positionstherealong,

as shown.

It will be recognized that upon swinging of the lever in one directionor the other, corresponding rotation is imparted to the cross shaft 24,running all the pinions 25 either forwardly or rearwardly on the racks2B.

The effect of this adjustment of the pinions 25 on the racks 26 is toeither advance or retract the shaft 24; i. e. the aXis of pivotal motionof the swing arm units [6 relative to the oven, without appreciablyaffecting or altering the stroke of said arm units l6, and withoutrequiring adjustment of the actuating means therefor. By such adjustmentof the pivotal axis of the arm units It, the forward point of advance ofthe pusher assembly, including the push fingers H, can be variedaccurately and to such selective extent as the operator may deemnecessary.

In short, as the axis of the swing arm units I6 is moved to a rearwardposition, as in Fig. 2, the pusher fingers l I have a maximum forwardpoint of advance, and conversely when said axis is moved to a forwardposition, as in Fig. 3, the

pusher fingers I I havea minimum point "of forward advance.

Thus, by the simple manipulation of the radial adjusting lever 36, theoperator can cause the pans to be advanced from the table 2, through theoven door, and into the oven, todifferential extents.

"Fromthe foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such adevice as substantially fulfills the objects oftheinvention as set forth herein. l

While this specification sets forthindetail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still inpractice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to 'as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, andupon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In an oven feeding machine, pan support and a power actuated pusherassembly operatively arranged to advance a :pan from the support in apredetermined direction and to a selectively variable pointof panadvance; said power ated pusher assemblyincluding'a pivotally mountedswing arm unit, the pivotal mount for said swing arm unit incorporatinga rack and pinion device arranged to advance or retract the axis of theswing arm unit to thereby vary said point.

2. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame, a pan supportingtable on the frame, a pusher assembly operatively arranged to engage atable supported pan from the rear and to advance the pan in apredetermined direction from the table, said pusher assembly including aswing arm unit disposed under the table for swinging motion in alongitudinal vertical plane, a pivotal mount connected between the swingarm unit and the frame, said pivotal mount being arranged for adjustmentto advance or retract the axis of swinging motion of the swing arm unit,and power actuated means connected to the swing arm unit to oscillatethe same; the pivotal mount connecting with the lower end of the swingarm unit, and the power means connecting with said swing arm unitintermediate its ends.

3. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for aselectively variable distance; said pusher assembly including anupstanding swing arm unit below the table, a cross shaft on which theswing arm unit is pivoted for swinging motion in a longitudinal verticalplane, said shaft being movable forward- 1y or rearwardly, a pinion onthe shaft, a rack fixed on the frame, the pinion meshing with the rack,means to rotate the shaft, and power means connected to the arm unit tooscillate the same.

4. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for aselectively variable distance; said pusher assembly including anupstanding swing arm unit below the table, a cross shaft on which theswing arm unit is piv-- oted for swinging motion in a longitudinalvertical plane, said shaft being movable forwardly or rearwardly, apinion on the shaft, a rack fixed on the frame, the pinion mesh-ing withthe rackr means to rotate the shaft, andpower ineanscon nectedto thearmunit to oscillate the same; there being guide and hold-down meanscooperating with the pinion to maintain the same in mesh with the rackwhile permitting the pinionto run along said rack.

5. Inan oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated "reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for aselectively variable distance; said pusher assembly including anupstanding swing arm unit below the "table, a cross shaft on which theswing arm unit is pivoted for swinging motion. in a longitudinalverticalplane, the cross shaft being shiftable lengthwise of the path ofmovement of the push assembly and disposed at the lower end of the swinga-rmunit, a pinion on the cross shaft, a longitudinal rack on the framewithwhichfthe pinion meshes, a hold-down and guide cooperating with thepinion while permitting the same to'travel along the rack, and powermeans connected to the swing arm unit intermediate its ends.

6. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for a selectivevariable distance; said pusher assembly including an upstanding swingarm unit below the table, a cross shaft on which the swing arm unit ispivoted for swinging motion in a longitudinal vertical plane, the crossshaft being shiftable lengthwise of the path of movement of the pushassembly and disposed at the lower end of the swing arm unit, a pinionon the cross shaft, a longitudinal rack on the frame with which thepinion meshes, a hold-down and guide: cooperating with the pinion whilepermitting the same to travel along the rack, and power means connectedto the swing arm unit intermediate its ends; said power means includinganother cross shaft above said first named cross shaft, said other crossshaft being driven and a crank on said other cross shaft including acrank having a crank pin, the swing arm unit being a longitudinal slotin which said crank pin engages.

7. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for aselectively variable distance; said pusher assembly including anupstanding swing arm unit below the table, a cross shaft on which theswing arm unit is pivoted for swinging motion in a longitudinal verticalplane, the cross shaft being shiftable lengthwise of the path ofmovement of the push assembly and disposed at the lower end of the swingarm unit, a pinion on the cross shaft, a longitudinal rack on the framewith which the pinion meshes, the pinion having a circumferential grooveintermediate its ends, a saddle plate engaged in said groove oppositethe rack, guide and holding means guiding the saddle plate forlongitudinal sliding motion but holding the plate against escape fromthe groove, and power means connected to the swing arm unit intermediateits ends.

8. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame having a pansupporting table thereon, and a power actuated reciprocating pusherassembly cooperating with the table to engage a pan from the rear and toadvance the pan in a predetermined forward direction and for aselectively variable distance; said pusher assembly including anupstanding swing arm unit below the table, a cross shaft on which theswing arm unit is pivoted for swinging motion in a longitudinal verticalplane, the cross shaft being shiftable lengthwise of the path ofmovement of the push assembly and disposed at the lower end of the swingarm unit, a pinion on the cross shaft, a longitudinal rack on the framewith which the pinion meshes, a hold-down and guide cooperating with thepinion while permitting the same to travel along the rack, and. powermeans connected to the swing arm unit intermediate its ends; there beinga radial hand lever on the cross shaft accessible from exteriorly of theframe, and means to hold said lever in selective positions ofadjustment.

9. In an oven feeding machine, an upstanding frame, a pan-supportingtable on the frame, a pusher assembly operatively arranged to engage atable-supported pan from the rear end to advance the pan along the tablein a predetermined direction, said pusher assembly including a swing armunit, means pivotally mounting the swing arm unit in connection with theframe for swinging motion in a longitudinal vertical plane, poweractuated means connected to the swing arm unit to reciprocate the latterand means to adjust the pivotal mounting means to a selective extent toadvance or retract the axis of swinging motion of the arm unit wherebyto thus vary the forward point of pan advance; said last named meanscomprising a rack and pinion device included in said pivotal mountingmeans.

ROBERT L. BROSEMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,718,861 Huth June 25, 19291,764,550 Comstock June 1'7, 1930 2,153,094 Maier Apr. 4, 1939 2,271,740Mansfield Feb. 3, 1942

